Aerosol Generator

Abstract

The aerosol generating device also includes a housing including a storage space for storing an aerosol product and a heater for heating the aerosol product stored in the storage space, a cover coupled to at least a portion of the housing and including a conductive pad, a printed circuit board located in an internal space formed by the housing and the cover, an electrical connecting member electrically connecting the conductive pad and the printed circuit board, and a damage structure disposed in at least a portion of the cover and causing the electrical connecting member to break when the cover is detached from the housing.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerosol generating device, and more particularly to an aerosol generating device that halts operation if voluntary disassembly by a user is detected. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there is an increasing demand for technology to replace the method of supplying an aerosol by burning a typical cigarette. For example, research is being conducted on a method of supplying a flavored aerosol by generating an aerosol from a liquid or solid aerosol generating material, or by generating vapor from a liquid aerosol generating material and then passing the generated vapor through a solid flavor medium.

[0003] The aerosol generating device may refer to a device capable of generating an aerosol by heating a liquid or solid aerosol generating substance to a predetermined temperature with a heater.

[0004] When using an aerosol generating device, smoking is possible without additional equipment such as a lighter, and the convenience of smoking can be improved, such that the user can smoke as much as they wish. In this regard, research on the aerosol generating device is gradually increasing. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The manufacturer of the aerosol generating device can maintain the atomization performance of the aerosol generating device in an optimal state by setting the temperature profile of the heater based on the characteristics of the aerosol product used in the aerosol generating device.

[0006] However, an increasing number of users are tuning their aerosol generating devices arbitrarily (i.e., "custom tuning" them. For example, some users disassemble the aerosol generating device and then change the heater temperature profile or replace the battery in order to increase the amount of aerosol generated or to extend the operating time of the aerosol generating device.

[0007] In the case of a custom-tuned aerosol generating device, safety issues may arise during operation, such as the heater temperature rising excessively high or the battery exploding, so a method is required to prevent users from custom-tuning the device.

[0008] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide an aerosol generating device that can detect whether any arbitrary decomposition of the aerosol generating device has occurred and can stop the operation of the device if any arbitrary decomposition occurs, thereby preventing safety accidents caused by arbitrary tuning.

[0009] Problems to be solved through the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the problems described above, and problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present embodiment pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] An aerosol generating device according to one embodiment also includes a housing including a storage space in which an aerosol product can be stored and a heater for heating the aerosol product stored in the storage space, a cover coupled to at least a portion of the housing and including a conductive pad, a printed circuit board located in an internal space formed by the housing and the cover, an electrical connecting member electrically connecting the conductive pad and the printed circuit board, and a damage structure arranged in at least a portion of the cover and damaging the electrical connecting member when the cover is detached from the housing. Effect of the Invention

[0011] The aerosol generating apparatus according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can prevent safety accidents caused by arbitrary tuning of the aerosol generating apparatus.

[0012] The effects of this embodiment are not limited to the effects described above, and effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment pertains from this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG. [Figure 3A] 11A-11D are diagrams showing a process in which a cover is coupled to a housing in an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3B] 11A to 11C are diagrams showing the process of a cover being detached from a housing in an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3C] A diagram showing the state in which the detached cover has been reattached to the housing in an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 11A to 11C are diagrams showing the process of a cover being detached from a housing in an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment. [Diagram 5] 11A to 11C are diagrams showing the process of a cover being detached from a housing in an aerosol generating device according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 6] 11A to 11C are diagrams showing the process of a cover being detached from a housing in an aerosol generating device according to yet another embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating some components of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] 8 is a flowchart showing a control operation based on whether the cover of the aerosol generation device of FIG. 7 is attached or detached. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The terms used in this embodiment are currently widely used general terms as much as possible, taking into consideration the functions of the present invention, but they may vary depending on the intentions of the engineers in the field, precedents, or the emergence of new technologies. In addition, in certain cases, the applicant may arbitrarily select terms, and in such cases, the meanings of the terms will be described in detail in the description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in this invention must be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present invention, rather than simply the names of the terms.

[0015] Throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a certain component, it does not mean excluding other components, but may further include other components, unless otherwise specified to the contrary. Furthermore, terms such as "module" and "unit" in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may be realized by hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0016] As used herein, phrases such as "at least one of," when preceding an array of elements, modify the entire array and not each individual member of the array. For example, the phrase "at least one of a, b, and c" should be interpreted to include a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a, b, and c.

[0017] In one embodiment, the aerosol generating device is also a device that electrically heats a cigarette contained in the interior space to generate an aerosol.

[0018] The aerosol generating device also includes a heater, in one embodiment the heater is an electrically resistive heater, for example the heater includes a conductive track, such that the heater can be heated when a current is passed through the conductive track.

[0019] The heater may include a tubular heating element, a plate heating element, a needle heating element, or a rod heating element, and depending on the configuration of the heating element, the cigarette may be heated internally or externally.

[0020] Cigarettes also include tobacco rods and filter rods. The tobacco rods can be made of sheets, strands, or cut tobacco sheets. The tobacco rods are also surrounded by a heat conductive material. For example, the heat conductive material can be a metal foil, such as, but not limited to, aluminum foil.

[0021] The filter rod is also a cellulose acetate filter. The filter rod may be composed of at least one or more segments. For example, the filter rod may include a first segment for cooling the aerosol and a second segment for filtering a predetermined component contained in the aerosol.

[0022] In another embodiment, the aerosol generating device is also a device that utilizes a cartridge that holds an aerosol generating material to generate the aerosol.

[0023] The aerosol generating device also includes a cartridge that holds an aerosol generating material, and a body that supports the cartridge. The cartridge may be detachably coupled to the body, but is not limited thereto. The cartridge may be formed integrally with or incorporated into the body and fixed so as not to be detached by a user. The cartridge may be attached to the body with the aerosol generating material contained therein. However, is not limited thereto, and the aerosol generating material may be injected into the cartridge while the cartridge is coupled to the body.

[0024] The cartridge may hold an aerosol generating material in any one of a variety of states, such as liquid, solid, gas, or gel. The aerosol generating material may include a liquid composition. For example, the liquid composition may be a liquid containing a tobacco-containing material including a volatile tobacco flavor component, or a liquid containing a non-tobacco material.

[0025] The cartridge can perform a function of converting the phase of the aerosol generating material inside the cartridge into a gas phase and generating an aerosol by being operated by an electric signal or a wireless signal transmitted from the main body. The aerosol can refer to a gas in which vaporized particles generated from the aerosol generating material and air are mixed.

[0026] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device can heat the liquid composition and generate an aerosol, which can be transmitted through the cigarette to the user, i.e., the aerosol generated from the liquid composition can travel along an airflow passage of the aerosol generating device, which airflow passage can be configured to allow the aerosol to pass through the cigarette and be transmitted to the user.

[0027] In still another embodiment, the aerosol generating device is a device that generates an aerosol from an aerosol generating material using an ultrasonic vibration method. In this case, the ultrasonic vibration method may mean a method of generating an aerosol by atomizing the aerosol generating material with ultrasonic vibration generated by a vibrator.

[0028] The aerosol generating device may include a vibrator, and may generate short-period vibrations through the vibrator to atomize the aerosol generating material. The vibrations generated by the vibrator may be ultrasonic vibrations, and the frequency band of the ultrasonic vibrations may be, but is not limited to, about 100 kHz to about 3.5 MHz.

[0029] The aerosol generating device may further include a wick for absorbing the aerosol generating material, for example, the wick may be disposed to surround or contact at least a region of the transducer.

[0030] When a voltage (e.g., an AC voltage) is applied to the transducer, heat and / or ultrasonic vibrations can be generated from the transducer, and the heat and / or ultrasonic vibrations generated from the transducer can be transferred to the aerosol generating substance absorbed in the wick. The aerosol generating substance absorbed in the wick can be converted into a gas phase by the heat and / or ultrasonic vibrations transmitted from the transducer, resulting in the generation of an aerosol.

[0031] For example, the heat generated by the vibrator reduces the viscosity of the aerosol-generating material absorbed in the core, and the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the vibrator break the reduced-viscosity aerosol-generating material into fine particles, thereby generating an aerosol, but this is not limited to this.

[0032] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device is a device that generates an aerosol by heating an aerosol product contained in the aerosol generating device by induction heating.

[0033] The aerosol generating device also includes a susceptor and a coil. In one embodiment, the coil can apply a magnetic field to the susceptor. When power is supplied from the aerosol generating device to the coil, a magnetic field can be formed inside the coil. In one embodiment, the susceptor is also a magnetic material that generates heat when an external magnetic field is applied. When the susceptor is located inside the coil, the aerosol product can be heated by generating heat when a magnetic field is applied. Optionally, the susceptor can be located inside the aerosol product.

[0034] In yet another embodiment, the aerosol generating device further comprises a cradle.

[0035] The aerosol generating device may be combined with a separate cradle to form a system, for example, the cradle may be capable of charging a battery of the aerosol generating device, or a heater may be used to heat the aerosol generating device when the cradle and the aerosol generating device are combined.

[0036] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that a person having ordinary skill in the art can easily carry out the embodiments. The present disclosure may be embodied in the aerosol generating device of the above-mentioned various embodiments, or may be embodied in various different forms, but is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0037] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 1, an aerosol generating device 10 according to one embodiment also includes a housing 100 into which an aerosol production article 20 can be inserted, and a cover 110 coupled to a region of the housing 100 .

[0040] The housing 100, together with the cover 110, can form the overall appearance of the aerosol generating device 10, and components of the aerosol generating device 10 can be disposed in the internal space formed between the housing 100 and the cover 110. For example, a heater, a printed circuit board, and / or a battery can be disposed in the internal space formed between the housing 100 and the cover 110, but the components disposed in the internal space are not limited thereto.

[0041] In the drawings, the cross section of the aerosol generation device 10 is semicircular, but the shape of the aerosol generation device 10 is not limited thereto. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 may be formed as a whole in a cylindrical shape or a polygonal prism shape (e.g., triangular prism shape or square prism shape).

[0042] According to one embodiment, the housing 100 also includes a storage space 100h for storing at least a portion of the aerosol product 20. The aerosol product 20 is inserted (or stored) inside the housing 100 through the storage space 100h, and the aerosol product 20 inserted inside the housing 100 can be heated by a heater inside the housing 100.

[0043] As the aerosol production product 20 is heated, the aerosol generated inside the housing 100 is discharged to the outside of the aerosol generation device 10 through the aerosol production product 20 and / or the space between the aerosol production product 20 and the storage space 100h, and the user can inhale the aerosol.

[0044] The cover 110 is coupled to at least a region of the housing 100 and can protect components of the aerosol generating device 10 disposed in the internal space between the housing 100 and the cover 110. For example, the cover 110 is coupled to a region of the housing 100 and can protect components (e.g., a printed circuit board) of the aerosol generating device 10 from external impact or the inflow of foreign objects.

[0045] The aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment further includes a display D on which visual information is displayed. At least a portion of the display D is exposed to the outside of the housing 100, and the aerosol generating device 10 can provide various visual information to a user through the display D.

[0046] For example, the aerosol generating device 10 may provide information via the display D regarding whether a user's puffing action has occurred and / or information regarding the number of remaining puffs of the inserted aerosol product item 20, but the information provided via the display D is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0047] Furthermore, the aerosol generation device 10 can control the operation of the aerosol generation device 10 based on a user's input to the display D. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 can control whether or not the heater is operated and / or the temperature profile of the heater based on a user's input (e.g., touch input) to the display D, but is not limited to this.

[0048] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the aerosol generating device shown in FIG.

[0049] 2, an aerosol generating device 10 (e.g., aerosol generating device 10 (FIG. 1)) according to one embodiment also includes a housing 100 (e.g., housing 100 (FIG. 1)), a cover 110 (e.g., cover 110 (FIG. 1)), a printed circuit board 200, an electrical connecting member 210, and a break structure 300. At least one of the components of the aerosol generating device 10 is the same as or similar to at least one of the components of the aerosol generating device 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, and therefore, the overlapping description will be omitted below.

[0050] The cover 110 is coupled to a region of the housing 100, and components of the aerosol generating device 10 may be disposed in an internal space formed between the housing 100 and the cover 110. For example, a printed circuit board 200 may be disposed in the internal space formed between the housing 100 and the cover 110, but the components disposed in the internal space are not limited thereto.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the cover 110 also includes a conductive pad 120. The conductive pad 120 is disposed in an area of ​​the cover 110 facing the printed circuit board 200, and is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 200, and may act as a ground (or a "ground layer"). For example, the conductive pad 120 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 200 via an electrical connection member 210, and may block noise generated during the operation of the aerosol generating device 10 or external noise from entering the printed circuit board 200.

[0052] In one example, the conductive pad 120 may include, but is not limited to, a metal pad, while in another example, the conductive pad 120 may include a pad formed of a non-metallic material having electrical conductivity.

[0053] The printed circuit board 200 is disposed in the internal space formed between the housing 100 and the cover 110, and a processor (not shown) that controls the operation of the aerosol generating device 10 may be disposed or implemented in one area of ​​the printed circuit board 200.

[0054] In one example, the processor is electrically or operatively connected to the heater and the battery, and can control the temperature of the heater by controlling the power supplied from the battery to the heater. In this disclosure, the expression "operatively connected" may mean a state in which components are connected to exchange signals by wireless communication, or to exchange optical and / or magnetic signals, etc., and the expression may be used in the same sense hereinafter.

[0055] In another example, the processor is electrically or operatively connected to the sensor and can detect the user's puffing operation based on the detection result of the sensor, although the control operation of the processor is not limited thereto, and specific control operations of the processor will be described later.

[0056] The electrical connection member 210 may electrically connect the conductive pad 120 of the cover 110 to the printed circuit board 200. For example, one region of the electrical connection member 210 may contact the conductive pad 120 and another region of the electrical connection member 210 may contact the printed circuit board 200, thereby electrically connecting the conductive pad 120 to the printed circuit board 200. By electrically connecting the conductive pad 120 to the printed circuit board 200, the printed circuit board 200 may be grounded to the conductive pad 120, and as a result, noise entering the printed circuit board 200 may be blocked.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the electrical connection member 210 may include, but is not limited to, a conductive clip or C-clip. In other embodiments (not shown), the electrical connection member 210 may include a wire, a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), or a cable.

[0058] The damage structure 300 is disposed in an area of ​​the cover 110 facing the printed circuit board 200, and can damage at least an area of ​​the electrical connection member 210 when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100. For example, the damage structure 300 can apply an impact to an area of ​​the electrical connection member 210 when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100, damaging the electrical connection member 210, and as a result, the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 can be electrically separated. In this disclosure, the expression "electrically separated" means a state in which the electrical connection is released, and this expression can be used in the following with the same meaning.

[0059] The processor can detect whether the cover 110 has been detached from the housing 100 based on a change in the electrical characteristics due to the electrical connection state between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200. If the cover 110 has been detached, the processor can interrupt the operation of the aerosol generating device 10.

[0060] Recently, many users disassemble aerosol generators and tune them arbitrarily (or "custom tune them") in order to increase the amount of aerosol generated or to extend the operating time of the aerosol generator. In the case of an arbitrarily tuned aerosol generator, a safety problem may occur, such as the heater temperature rising excessively or the battery exploding during the operation of the aerosol generator.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the aerosol generating device 10 detects whether the cover 110 is detached or removed by rupturing the electrical connecting member 210 via the rupture structure 300 when the cover 110 is detached or removed, and if detachment of the cover 110 is detected, the operation of the aerosol generating device 10 is interrupted, thereby preventing safety accidents caused by user's arbitrary tuning.

[0062] 3A to 3C, a process in which the electrical connecting member 210 is broken by the breaking structure 300 when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100 will be described below.

[0063] Fig. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the aerosol generating device 10 shown in Fig. 2 taken along the line A-A', illustrating a process in which a cover is coupled to a housing in an aerosol generating device according to an embodiment, and the description will not be repeated below.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 3A, the aerosol generating device 10 according to one embodiment also includes a housing 100, a cover 110, a conductive pad 120, a printed circuit board 200, an electrical connection member 210, and a fracture structure 300.

[0065] The cover 110 is coupled to a region of the housing 100, and when the housing 100 and the cover 110 are coupled, the conductive pad 120, the printed circuit board 200, the electrical connecting member 210 and the breakable structure 300 may be disposed in the internal space formed between the housing 100 and the cover 110.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 3A, the cover 110 may be slidably coupled to a certain region of the housing 100 so that the electrical connection member 210 is not damaged during the process of coupling the housing 100 and the cover 110.

[0067] Since the breakage structure 300 is formed to protrude from one region of the cover 110, a situation may occur in which the electrical connection member 210 is broken by the breakage structure 300 during the process of connecting the cover 110 to the housing 100. In the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment, during the process of connecting the housing 100 and the cover 110, the cover 110 slides so that the breakage structure 300 does not come into contact with the electrical connection member 210, thereby preventing the electrical connection member 210 from being broken during the connecting process.

[0068] When the housing 100 and the cover 110 are coupled together, one area of ​​the electrical connection member 210 may contact the printed circuit board 200, and another area of ​​the electrical connection member 210 may contact the conductive pad 120 disposed on the cover 110. As a result, the conductive pad 120 may be electrically coupled to the printed circuit board 200.

[0069] The damage structure 300 is formed to protrude from one region of the cover 110, and may function to damage the electrical connection member 210 when the cover 110 is attached or detached. For example, at least one region of the damage structure 300 is formed in a shape bent in a direction toward the electrical connection member 210, so that at least one region of the damage structure 300 may be disposed between the printed circuit board 200 and the electrical connection member 210 when the housing 100 and the cover 110 are coupled together.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the damage structure 300 also includes a first portion 310 extending from a region of the cover 110 along a first direction toward the printed circuit board 200, and a second portion 320 extending from a region of the first portion 310 along a second direction intersecting the first direction. For example, the second portion 320 may extend from a region of the first portion 310 in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, but the shape of the damage structure 300 is not limited thereto. In another example (not shown), the second portion 320 may extend from one end of the first portion 310 in a direction forming a predetermined angle (e.g., about 60° to 80°) with the first direction.

[0071] The second portion 320 of the breakage structure 300 may be disposed between the printed circuit board 200 and the electrical connecting member 210 when the housing 100 and the cover 110 are coupled together. Due to the above-described arrangement, the second portion 320 of the breakage structure 300 can apply an impact to a region of the electrical connecting member 210 and break the electrical connecting member 210 when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3B.

[0072] 3B is a cross-sectional view showing a process in which the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100 in the aerosol generating device 10 of FIG. 3A, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0073] 3B, when the user begins to detach or separate the cover 110 from the housing 100 at will, at least one region of the failure structure 300 may come into contact with the electrical connecting member 210. For example, when the cover 110 is detached, the cover 110 moves in a direction away from the housing 100, and the second portion 320 (e.g., the second portion 320 (FIG. 3A)) of the failure structure 300 may come into contact with one region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210.

[0074] When the cover 110 moves in a direction away from the housing 100 with the second portion 320 of the damage structure 300 in contact with the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210, pressure or stress is applied to the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210, and as a result, the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210 may be damaged by the second portion 320 of the damage structure 300. For example, the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210 may be bent and damaged by the pressure or stress from the second portion 320. For example, the region 211 may fall off from the other region of the electrical connecting member 210, but the damage is not limited thereto.

[0075] 3C is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the detached cover is reattached to the housing in the aerosol generating device according to an embodiment, in which the cover is reattached to the housing after a region of the electrical connection member is damaged due to the detachment of the cover.

[0076] 3C, in the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment, the electrical connection member 210 may be damaged during the process of removing the cover 110 from the housing 100. As a result, even when the cover 110 is reattached to the housing 100, the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 remain electrically isolated from each other.

[0077] For example, during the process of attaching and detaching the cover 110, a region (e.g., region 211 (FIG. 3B)) of the electrical connection member 210 may be damaged, so that the electrical connection member 210 does not come into contact with the conductive pad 120. As a result, even when the cover 110 is reattached to the housing 100, the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 may remain electrically isolated from each other.

[0078] That is, in the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment, when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100 even once, the electrical connection member 210 is damaged by the damage structure 300. As a result, even when the cover 110 is reattached to the housing 100, the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 are not electrically connected to each other.

[0079] In addition, the processor of the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment can detect whether the cover 110 is detached or not based on a change in electrical characteristics between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 caused by damage to the electrical connection member 210, and can interrupt the operation of the aerosol generating device 10 if the cover 110 is detached. A detailed description of the control operation of the processor will be given later.

[0080] FIG. 4 is a view showing a process in which a cover is detached from a housing in an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.

[0081] 4, the aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment also includes a housing 100, a cover 110, a conductive pad 120, a printed circuit board 200, an electrical connecting member 210, and a breakable structure 300. The aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment is a device in which the shape of the breakable structure 300 is modified from that of the aerosol generating device 10 illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3C, but the redundant description will be omitted below.

[0082] The damage structure 300 is formed by protruding from a region of the cover 110 toward the printed circuit board 200, and can function to damage the electrical connecting member 210 connecting the conductive pad 120 of the cover 110 and the printed circuit board 200 when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100.

[0083] At least one region of the failure structure 300 may be formed in a curved shape bent toward the electrical connecting member 210. At least one region of the failure structure 300 bent toward the electrical connecting member 210 may be disposed between the printed circuit board 200 and the electrical connecting member 210 when the housing 100 and the cover 110 are coupled together.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the damage structure 300 also includes a first portion 310 extending from a region of the cover 110 in a first direction toward the printed circuit board 200, and a second portion 320 curved from a region of the first portion 310 in a second direction transverse to the first direction.

[0085] The second portion 320 of the damage structure 300 is disposed between the printed circuit board 200 and the electrical connecting member 210 when the housing 100 and the cover 110 are coupled together, and due to the above-mentioned arrangement, the second portion 320 can damage the electrical connecting member 210 when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100. For example, the second portion 320 can contact the one region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210 and apply pressure or stress to the one region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210 when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100, thereby damaging the one region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210.

[0086] In another embodiment of the aerosol generating device 10, the second part 320 is formed in a curved shape from a certain region of the first part 310 toward the longitudinal direction (or "first direction)" of the first part 310, so that a fillet may be formed at the connection portion between the first part 310 and the second part 320. As a result, damage to the electrical connecting member 210 may be prevented during the process of connecting the housing 100 and the cover 110.

[0087] For example, if the connecting portion between the first part 310 and the second part 320 is formed to have a sharp corner, the electrical connecting member 210 may come into contact with the connecting portion between the first part 310 and the second part 320 during the process in which the cover 110 slides to connect the housing 100 and the cover 110, and the electrical connecting member 210 may be damaged. In that case, the operation of the aerosol generating device 10 may be interrupted even though the cover 110 is not detached from the housing 100.

[0088] In contrast, the aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment includes a fillet structure formed at a connecting portion between the first part 310 and the second part 320, thereby preventing the electrical connecting member 210 from being damaged during the process of connecting the housing 100 and the cover 110. As a result, interruption of the operation of the aerosol generating device 10 without removing and attaching the cover 110 can be prevented.

[0089] FIG. 5 is a view showing a process in which a cover is detached from a housing in an aerosol generating device according to still another embodiment.

[0090] 5, the aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment includes a housing 100, a cover 110, a conductive pad 120, a printed circuit board 200, an electrical connecting member 210, and a breakable structure 300. The aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment is a device in which the shape of the breakable structure 300 is modified from that of the aerosol generating device 10 illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3C, but the duplicated description will be omitted below.

[0091] The damage structure 300 is formed by protruding from a region of the cover 110 toward the printed circuit board 200, and can function to damage the electrical connecting member 210 connecting the conductive pad 120 of the cover 110 and the printed circuit board 200 when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the failure structure 300 also includes a first portion 310 , a second portion 320 and a third portion 330 .

[0093] The first portion 310 may extend from one region of the cover 110 along a first direction toward the printed circuit board 200. For example, the first portion 310 may extend from one region of the cover 110 facing the printed circuit board 200 along the first direction.

[0094] The second portion 320 may extend from one region of the first portion 310 along a second direction intersecting the first direction in which the first portion 310 protrudes from the cover 110. For example, the second portion 320 may extend from one end of the first portion 310 adjacent to the printed circuit board 200 along the second direction perpendicular to the first direction and be disposed between the printed circuit board 200 and the electrical connection member 210, but is not limited thereto.

[0095] The third portion 330 may extend from one region of the second portion 320 along a third direction intersecting the second direction. For example, the third portion 330 may extend from one end of the second portion 320 along a third direction perpendicular to the second direction and parallel to the first direction, and may be disposed between the printed circuit board 200 and the electrical connecting member 210, but is not limited thereto.

[0096] That is, the damage structure 300 may be formed in a U-shape when viewed from the side due to the above-mentioned arrangement of the first portion 310, the second portion 320, and the third portion 330. The damage structure 300 has the second portion 320 and the third portion 330 disposed between the printed circuit board 200 and the electrical connecting member 210, and may function to damage one region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210 when the cover 110 is attached or detached.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 5 , the second portion 320 and the third portion 330 of the breakage structure 300 according to one embodiment can break the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210 by physically contacting the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210 when the cover 110 is detached from the housing 100.

[0098] For example, the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210 may come into contact with the connection region between the second part 320 and the third part 330 when the cover 110 is removed, and the second part 320 and the third part 330 may apply pressure or stress to the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210, thereby damaging the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210.

[0099] In another embodiment, the contact area between the electrical connection member 210 and the breakable structure 300 may be increased when the cover 110 is detached. As a result, the aerosol generating device 10 may effectively break the electrical connection member 210 when the cover 110 is detached. This may improve the accuracy of detecting whether the cover 110 is detached.

[0100] FIG. 6 is a view showing a process in which a cover is detached from a housing in an aerosol generating device according to still another embodiment.

[0101] 6, the aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment includes a housing 100, a cover 110, a conductive pad 120, a printed circuit board 200, an electrical connection member 210, and a breakable structure 300. The aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment is a device in which the shape of the third part 330 of the breakable structure 300 in the aerosol generating device 10 shown in FIG 5 is modified, but the overlapping description will be omitted below.

[0102] The third portion 330 of the damage structure 300 also includes a tip portion that contacts the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210. In this disclosure, the term "tip portion (or "pointed end portion")" means a portion having a sharp end, and this expression may be used in the following description with the same meaning.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the tip is formed in a region of the third portion 330 that contacts the electrical connecting member 210 when the cover 110 is removed, and can damage the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210. For example, the tip of the third portion 330 physically contacts the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210 when the cover 110 is removed, and can apply pressure or stress to the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210, thereby damaging the region 211 of the electrical connecting member 210.

[0104] The aerosol generating device 10 according to another embodiment also includes the above-mentioned breakable structure 300, which allows the electrical connecting member 210 to come into contact with a sharp tip of the breakable structure 300 when the cover 110 is attached or detached. When the electrical connecting member 210 comes into contact with the sharp tip of the breakable structure 300, a larger pressure or stress may be applied to the electrical connecting member 210 than when the electrical connecting member 210 comes into contact with a flat portion of the breakable structure 300. As a result, the aerosol generating device 10 can more effectively break the electrical connecting member 210 when the cover 110 is attached or detached, thereby improving the accuracy of detecting whether the cover 110 is attached or detached.

[0105] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating some components of an aerosol generating device according to one embodiment.

[0106] 7, the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment also includes a heater 101, a conductive pad 120, a printed circuit board 200, an electrical connection member 210, and a processor 220. At least one of the components of the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment is substantially the same as or similar to the components of the aerosol generating device 10 illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 6, and therefore, the overlapping description will be omitted below.

[0107] The heater 101 generates heat by receiving power from a battery, and can heat an aerosol production item (e.g., aerosol production item 20 (Figure 1)) inserted into the aerosol generation device 10 to generate aerosol.

[0108] In one example, the heater 101 includes an induction heater. For example, the heater 101 includes a coil (or an "electrically conductive coil") that generates an alternating magnetic field when power is supplied thereto, and a susceptor that generates heat by the alternating magnetic field generated by the coil. The susceptor is disposed to surround an aerosol product inserted into the aerosol generating device 10 or is inserted inside the aerosol product to heat the aerosol product.

[0109] In another embodiment, the heater 101 may include an electrically resistive heater. For example, the heater 101 may include a film heater arranged to surround at least a portion of the outer periphery of the aerosol product inserted into the aerosol generation device 10. The film heater may include an electrically conductive track, and when an electric current is passed through the electrically conductive track, the film heater may generate heat to heat the aerosol product inserted into the aerosol generation device 10.

[0110] In yet another example, the heater 101 includes at least one of a needle heater, a rod heater, and a tubular heater that can heat the inside of the aerosol product inserted into the aerosol generation device 10. The heater can be inserted into at least one region of the aerosol product, for example, to heat the inside of the aerosol product.

[0111] The heater 101 of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the embodiment of the heater may be changed as long as the heater can heat the aerosol product to a specified temperature. In the present disclosure, the "specified temperature" may mean a temperature at which the aerosol generating material contained in the aerosol product 20 can be heated to generate an aerosol. The specified temperature may be a preset temperature in the aerosol generating device 10, but the temperature may be changed depending on the type of the aerosol generating device 10 and / or a user's operation.

[0112] The display D is arranged so that at least one area is exposed to the outer peripheral surface of the aerosol generating device 10, and is capable of outputting visual information and receiving user input.

[0113] In one example, the display D may output visual information regarding whether a user's puffing action has occurred and / or the number of remaining puffs of the aerosol product inserted into the aerosol generating device 10, but the visual information output by the display D is not limited thereto.

[0114] In another example, the aerosol generation device 10 can receive a user input on the display D and control the operation of the aerosol generation device 10 based on the received user input. For example, the aerosol generation device 10 can control the operation mode of the aerosol generation device 10, whether the heater 101 operates, and / or the temperature profile of the heater 101 based on the user input on the display D. In addition, in the present disclosure, "user input" also includes touch input and / or hovering input, but the type of user input is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0115] The processor 220 may be disposed or implemented in one area of ​​the printed circuit board 200 and may provide overall control of the operation of the aerosol generating device 10.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the processor 220 is electrically or operatively coupled to the heater 101 and / or the display D and may control the power supplied from the battery to the heater 101 or control the visual information output by the display D.

[0117] According to another embodiment, the processor 220 can detect a change in an electrical characteristic between the conductive pad 120 of a cover (e.g., the cover 110 (FIG. 3A)) and the printed circuit board 200, and detect whether the cover is attached or detached based on the change in the electrical characteristic between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200.

[0118] For example, when a cover is detached from a housing (e.g., housing 100 (FIG. 3A)), a region of electrical connection member 210 electrically connecting conductive pad 120 and printed circuit board 200 may be damaged by a damage structure (e.g., damage structure 300 (FIGS. 3A to 6)), resulting in the electrical connection between conductive pad 120 and printed circuit board 200 being released.

[0119] The processor 220 can detect whether the cover has been removed or not based on a change in the electrical characteristics between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 due to damage to the electrical connecting member 210, and can interrupt the operation of the aerosol generating device 10 if removal of the cover is detected.

[0120] In the aerosol generation device 10 according to an embodiment, when the removal or attachment of the cover is detected, the operation of the aerosol generation device 10 is not resumed even if the cover is reattached to the housing. As a result, it is possible to prevent a safety accident caused by an arbitrary tuning of the aerosol generation device 10 by a user. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 8, an operation of the processor 220 to detect the removal or attachment of the cover and control the operation of the aerosol generation device 10 according to the detection result will be specifically described.

[0121] Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing a control operation based on whether the cover of the aerosol generation device of Fig. 7 is attached or detached. In the following description of the control operation based on whether the cover of the aerosol generation device of Fig. 8 is attached or detached, the description will be made with reference to the components of the aerosol generation device 10 shown in Fig. 7.

[0122] 8, in step 801, the processor 220 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment may detect a change in electrical characteristics between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200.

[0123] The conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 are electrically connected via the electrical connection member 210. When the electrical connection between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 is released, the electrical characteristics of the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 change.

[0124] In one example, when a cover (e.g., cover 110 (FIG. 3A)) is detached from a housing (e.g., housing 100 (FIG. 3A)), a damage structure (e.g., damage structure 300 (FIGS. 3A to 6)) may damage electrical connection member 210, causing electrical connection between conductive pad 120 and printed circuit board 200 to be released. As a result, a change may occur in the magnitude of voltage or current applied to printed circuit board 200.

[0125] At this time, the processor 220 disposed on the printed circuit board 200 may detect a change in the magnitude of the voltage or current applied to the printed circuit board 200. However, the change in the electrical characteristics between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 is not limited to a change in current or voltage. In another embodiment, a change in capacitance of the printed circuit board 200 occurs when the cover is removed, and the processor 220 may detect the change in capacitance of the printed circuit board 200.

[0126] In step 802, the processor 220 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment may detect a coupling state between the cover and the housing based on the change in the electrical characteristics between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 detected in step 801. For example, the processor 220 may detect whether the cover is coupled to the housing or detached from the housing based on the change in the electrical characteristics between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200.

[0127] According to an embodiment, the processor 220 may determine that the electrical connection between the conductive pad 120 and the printed circuit board 200 has been released due to damage to the electrical connection member 210 when the change in the current or voltage applied to the printed circuit board 200 is equal to or greater than a specified value. As a result, the processor 220 may determine that the cover has been detached from the housing. In the present disclosure, the "specified value" may refer to a change in the current or voltage applied to the printed circuit board 200 that is a criterion for determining whether the cover has been detached. For example, when the cover is detached from the housing, the change in the current or voltage applied to the printed circuit board 200 is equal to or greater than a specified value.

[0128] According to another embodiment, the processor 220 may determine that a current or voltage change due to noise has been detected if the amount of change in the current or voltage applied to the printed circuit board 200 is less than a specified value, thereby allowing the processor 220 to determine that the cover is coupled to the housing.

[0129] In step 803, the processor 220 of the aerosol generating device 10 according to an embodiment may determine whether or not removal of the cover has been detected in step 802. Since a process of removing the cover from the housing is required before performing optional tuning of the aerosol generating device 10, such as replacing the battery or increasing the heating temperature of the heater 101, the processor 220 may determine whether or not optional tuning has been performed based on whether removal of the cover has been detected.

[0130] In step 804, the processor 220 of the aerosol generation device 10 according to one embodiment may interrupt operation of the aerosol generation device 10 if removal of the cover is detected in step 803.

[0131] In the case of the manually tuned aerosol generating device 10, a safety accident may occur during operation, such as the heater temperature rising too high or the battery exploding. If the processor 220 detects the removal of the cover, it can prevent the occurrence of a safety accident due to the user's manually tuned aerosol generating device 10 by suspending the operation of the aerosol generating device 10.

[0132] According to one embodiment, when removal or attachment of the cover is detected, the processor 220 can interrupt the operation of the heater 101. For example, when removal or attachment of the cover is detected, the processor 220 can interrupt the operation of the heater 101 even if an aerosol production product (e.g., aerosol production product 20 (FIG. 1)) is inserted into the aerosol generation device 10, thereby preventing a safety accident caused by arbitrary tuning by a user.

[0133] According to another embodiment, when removal or attachment of the cover is detected, the processor 220 can interrupt the operation of the aerosol generation device 10 even if a user input is received on the display D. For example, the processor 220 does not change the operation mode of the aerosol generation device 10 even if a user input for changing the operation mode of the aerosol generation device 10 is received.

[0134] On the other hand, if it is detected in step 803 that the cover is attached to the housing, the processor 220 of the aerosol generating device 10 can repeatedly perform steps 801 to 803 to continuously detect whether the cover is attached or detached.

[0135] The aerosol generation device 10 according to an embodiment can prevent a safety accident caused by user's arbitrary tuning by suspending the operation of the aerosol generation device 10 when attachment or detachment of the cover is detected through the above-mentioned steps 801 to 804. Also, the aerosol generation device 10 according to an embodiment can stably maintain the performance of the aerosol generation device 10 by preventing user's arbitrary tuning through the above-mentioned steps 801 to 804.

[0136] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an aerosol generating device according to another embodiment.

[0137] The aerosol generating device 900 also includes a control unit 910 (or a processor), a sensing unit 920, an output unit 930, a battery 940, a heater 950, a user input unit 960, a memory 970, and a communication unit 980. However, the internal structure of the aerosol generating device 900 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 9. That is, a person having ordinary skill in the art related to the embodiment of the present invention can understand that some of the components shown in Fig. 9 may be omitted or new components may be added depending on the design of the aerosol generating device 900.

[0138] The sensing unit 920 may sense the state of the aerosol generating device 900 or the state around the aerosol generating device 900, and transmit the sensed information to the control unit 910. The control unit 910 may control the aerosol generating device 900 based on the sensed information to perform various functions such as controlling the operation of the heater 950, restricting smoking, determining whether or not an aerosol product (e.g., cigarette, cartridge, etc.) is inserted, and displaying notifications.

[0139] The sensing unit 920 may include at least one of a temperature sensor 922, an insertion sensor 924, and a puff sensor 926, but is not limited to these.

[0140] The temperature sensor 922 can sense the temperature to which the heater 950 (or the aerosol generating substance) is heated. The aerosol generating device 900 can include a separate temperature sensor that senses the temperature of the heater 950, or the heater 950 itself can function as the temperature sensor. Alternatively, the temperature sensor 922 can be disposed around the battery 940 to monitor the temperature of the battery 940.

[0141] The insertion detection sensor 924 can detect the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol product article. For example, the insertion detection sensor 924 can include at least one of a film sensor, a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, a resistive sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, and an infrared sensor, and can detect a signal change due to the insertion and / or removal of the aerosol product article.

[0142] The puff sensor 926 can detect a user's puff based on various physical changes in the airflow passage or airflow channel, for example, the puff sensor 926 can detect a user's puff based on any one of a temperature change, a flow change, a voltage change, and a pressure change.

[0143] The sensing unit 920 may further include at least one of a temperature / humidity sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a position sensor (e.g., a global positioning system (GPS)), a proximity sensor, and an RGB (red-green-blue) (illuminance) sensor in addition to the above-mentioned sensors (temperature sensor 922, insertion sensor 924, and puff sensor 926). A person skilled in the art can intuitively infer the function of each sensor from its name, so a detailed description thereof may be omitted.

[0144] The output unit 930 may output information related to the state of the aerosol generating device 900 and provide it to a user. The output unit 930 may include at least one of a display unit 932, a haptic unit 934, and an audio output unit 936, but is not limited thereto. When the display unit 932 and the touch pad have a layered structure and are configured as a touch screen, the display unit 932 may be used as an input device in addition to an output device.

[0145] The display unit 932 may visually provide a user with information related to the aerosol generating device 900. For example, the information related to the aerosol generating device 900 may mean various information such as a charging / discharging state of the battery 940 of the aerosol generating device 900, a preheating state of the heater 950, an insertion / removal state of an aerosol product, or a state in which the use of the aerosol generating device 900 is restricted (e.g., abnormal item detection), and the display unit 932 may output the information to the outside. The display unit 932 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic light emitting display panel (OLED), or the like. The display unit 932 may also be in the form of an LED light emitting element.

[0146] The haptic unit 934 can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical or electrical stimulus and provide a user with tactile information related to the aerosol generating device 900. For example, the haptic unit 934 can include a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0147] The acoustic output unit 936 can audibly provide the user with information related to the aerosol generation device 900. For example, the acoustic output unit 936 can convert an electric signal into an acoustic signal and output it to the outside.

[0148] The battery 940 can supply power used for operating the aerosol generating device 900. The battery 940 can supply power so that the heater 950 can be heated. The battery 940 can also supply power necessary for the operation of other components (e.g., the sensing unit 920, the output unit 930, the user input unit 960, the memory 970, and the communication unit 980) included in the aerosol generating device 900. The battery 940 can be a rechargeable battery or a one-time use battery. For example, the battery 940 can be a lithium polymer (LiPoly) battery, but is not limited thereto.

[0149] The heater 950 can heat the aerosol-generating substance by receiving power from the battery 940. Although not shown in Fig. 9, the aerosol generating device 900 further includes a power conversion circuit (e.g., a DC (direct current) / DC converter) that converts the power of the battery 940 and supplies it to the heater 950. When the aerosol generating device 900 generates an aerosol by an induction heating method, the aerosol generating device 900 further includes a DC / AC (alternating current) converter that converts the DC power supply of the battery 940 into an AC power supply.

[0150] The control unit 910, the sensing unit 920, the output unit 930, the user input unit 960, the memory 970, and the communication unit 980 can perform their functions by receiving power from a battery 940. Although not shown in FIG 9, the device may further include a power conversion circuit, such as an LDO (low dropout) circuit or a voltage regulator circuit, that converts the power of the battery 940 and supplies it to each component.

[0151] In one embodiment, the heater 950 may be formed of any suitable electrically resistive material, such as, but not limited to, metals or metal alloys including titanium, zirconium, tantalum, platinum, nickel, cobalt, chromium, hafnium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, gallium, manganese, iron, copper, stainless steel, nichrome, etc. The heater 950 may also be embodied by, but not limited to, a metal heat wire, a metal hot plate having conductive tracks disposed thereon, a ceramic heating element, etc.

[0152] In another embodiment, heater 950 is an inductive heater, for example one that includes a susceptor that generates heat via a magnetic field applied by a coil to heat the aerosol generating material.

[0153] The user input unit 960 may receive information input by a user or output information to a user. For example, the user input unit 960 may be, but is not limited to, a key pad, a dome switch, a touch pad (contact type electrostatic capacitance type, pressure type resistive film type, infrared sensing type, surface ultrasonic conduction type, integral type tension measurement type, piezoelectric effect type, etc.), a jog wheel, a jog switch, etc. In addition, although not shown in FIG. 9, the aerosol generating device 900 may further include a connection interface such as a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and may be connected to another external device through the connection interface such as the USB interface to transmit and receive information or charge the battery 940.

[0154] The memory 970 is hardware that stores various data processed in the aerosol generating device 900, and can store data processed by the control unit 910 and data to be processed. The memory 970 includes at least one type of recording medium selected from the group consisting of a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., a secure digital (SD) memory or an extreme digital (XD) memory), a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. The memory 970 can store the operation time, maximum puff count, current puff count, at least one temperature profile, and data related to the user's smoking pattern of the aerosol generating device 900.

[0155] The communication unit 980 also includes at least one component for communication with other electronic devices. For example, the communication unit 980 also includes a short-range wireless communication unit 982 and a wireless communication unit 984.

[0156] The short-range communication unit 982 may include, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication unit, a BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy) communication unit, a near field communication unit, a WLAN (wireless local area network) (Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity)) communication unit, a Zigbee (registered trademark) communication unit, an IrDA (infrared data association) communication unit, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication unit, a UWB (ultra wideband) communication unit, an Ant+ communication unit, and the like.

[0157] The wireless communication unit 984 may include, but is not limited to, a cellular network communication unit, an Internet communication unit, a computer network (e.g., a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)) communication unit, etc. The wireless communication unit 984 may also use subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) to identify and authenticate the aerosol generating device 900 within the communication network.

[0158] The control unit 910 can control the overall operation of the aerosol generating device 900. In one embodiment, the control unit 910 also includes at least one processor. The processor may be realized by an array of a number of logic gates, or may be realized by a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory in which a program that can be executed by the microprocessor is stored. In addition, it will be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which this embodiment belongs that the processor may also be realized by other forms of hardware.

[0159] The control unit 910 can control the temperature of the heater 950 by controlling the supply of power from the battery 940 to the heater 950. For example, the control unit 910 can control the power supply by controlling the switching of switching elements of the battery 940 and the heater 950. In another example, a heating direct circuit can also control the power supply to the heater 950 by a control command from the control unit 910.

[0160] The control unit 910 may analyze the results sensed by the sensing unit 920 and control the processes to be performed thereafter. For example, the control unit 910 may control the power supplied to the heater 950 so that the operation of the heater 950 is started or stopped based on the results sensed by the sensing unit 920. As another example, the control unit 910 may control the amount of power supplied to the heater 950 and the time for which the power is supplied so that the heater 950 is heated to a predetermined temperature or maintains an appropriate temperature based on the results sensed by the sensing unit 920.

[0161] The control unit 910 may control the output unit 930 based on the result sensed by the sensing unit 920. For example, if the number of puffs counted through the puff sensor 926 reaches a preset number, the control unit 910 may notify the user through at least one of the display unit 932, the haptic unit 934, and the audio output unit 936 that the aerosol generating device 900 will soon be shut down.

[0162] In one embodiment, the control unit 910 can control the time and / or amount of power supplied to the heater 950 depending on the state of the aerosol product (e.g., the aerosol product 20 (FIG. 1)) sensed by the sensing unit 920. For example, when the aerosol product 20 is in an over-humid state, the control unit 910 can control the time of power supply to the induction coil to extend the pre-heating time for the aerosol product 20 compared to when the aerosol product 20 is in a general state.

[0163] An embodiment may be embodied in the form of a recording medium including computer executable instructions such as a program module executed by a computer. A computer readable medium is any available medium that can be accessed by a computer, including both volatile and non-volatile media, and both separate and non-separate media. A computer readable medium also includes both a computer recording medium and a communication medium. The computer recording medium includes both volatile and non-volatile, separate and non-separate media embodied in any method or technology for storing information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. The communication medium typically includes computer readable instructions, data structures, other data in a modulated data signal such as a program module, or other transmission mechanism, and includes any information delivery medium.

[0164] The above description of the embodiments is merely illustrative, and a person having ordinary skill in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the invention must be determined by the claims, and all differences within the scope equivalent to the contents described in the claims must be interpreted as being included in the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. In the aerosol generating device, a housing including a storage space for storing an aerosol product and a heater for heating the aerosol product stored in the storage space; a cover coupled to the housing and including a conductive pad; a printed circuit board located in an internal space defined by the housing and the cover; an electrical connection member electrically connecting the conductive pad and the printed circuit board; a breakage structure disposed on the cover, the breakage structure causing the electrical connection member to break when the cover is detached from the housing.

2. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the damage structure protrudes from a region of the cover in a direction toward the printed circuit board, and applies an impact to a region of the electrical connecting member when the cover is detached from the housing, thereby damaging the electrical connecting member.

3. The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , wherein the failure structure includes a bent shape that is bent in a direction toward the electrical connecting member.

4. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the damage structure is formed in a curved shape bent in a direction toward the electrical connecting member.

5. The damage structure is a first portion extending from the cover along a first direction toward the printed circuit board; The aerosol generating device of claim 1, further comprising a second portion extending from one end of the first portion along a second direction intersecting the first direction and applying an impact to the electrical connecting member when the cover is removed, thereby damaging the electrical connecting member.

6. The damage structure is The aerosol generating device described in claim 5, further comprising a third portion that protrudes from one end of the second portion toward a third direction intersecting the second direction and applies an impact to the electrical connecting member when the cover is removed, thereby damaging the electrical connecting member.

7. The aerosol generating device according to claim 6 , wherein the third portion includes a tip portion that contacts the electrical connecting member when the cover is attached or detached.

8. The aerosol generating device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connecting member includes a conductive clip having one area that contacts the conductive pad and another area that contacts the printed circuit board.

9. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive pad operates as a ground when electrically connected to the printed circuit board.

10. The heater is A coil for generating an alternating magnetic field; 2. The aerosol generating device according to claim 1, further comprising: a susceptor that generates heat in response to the alternating magnetic field generated by the coil.

11. The aerosol generating device of claim 1, further comprising a processor disposed on the printed circuit board for detecting whether the cover is detached or attached based on a change in electrical characteristics between the printed circuit board and the conductive pad due to damage to the electrical connecting member.

12. The processor, The aerosol generating device according to claim 11, wherein whether the cover is attached or detached is detected based on a change in current or voltage applied to the printed circuit board.

13. The processor, The aerosol generating device of claim 12 , wherein the cover is determined to have been detached from the housing when the change in current or voltage applied to the printed circuit board is greater than or equal to a specified value.

14. The processor, The aerosol generating device according to claim 11 , wherein operation of the aerosol generating device is interrupted if removal of the cover is detected.

15. The processor, The aerosol generating device according to claim 14 , wherein operation of the heater is interrupted if removal of the cover is detected.

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